Evaluation of the effects of underground water usage and spillage in the Exploratory Studies Facility; Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project

Sensitivity of hydrological performance assessment analysis to variations in material properties, conceptual models, and ventilation models

“…The original calculations from Dunn and Sobolik (1993) simulated a flooding scenario, where an event such as the extinguishing of a large fire in the PTn section of the ESF main drift, would fill the tunnel from floor to ceiling with water for one month. Hydrogeologic properties for the Yucca Mountain member were used for PTn for those calculations.…”

“…ESF PA Analyses #3 and #12 (Sobolik and Fewell, 1993) estimated the movement of off-block surficial water used for pond storage and road watering, respectively. ESF PA Analysis #13 (Dunn and Sobolik, 1993) estimated the movement of water used for underground construction and operations. The hydrology code NORIA-SP (Hopluns et al, 1991), which employs the equivalent continuum model (ECM) for a two-dimensional, single-phase, isothermal flow, was used for these previous analyses.…”

“…For this case, the variability in the amount of infiltrated water and its vertical and lateral spread is of primary importance. A full description of the assumptions used to formulate the original surficial watering problem is in Dunn and Sobolik (1993); an abridged description is included for the new calculations.…”

“…The material hydrogeologic properties that were used for all units except PTn were those used for ESF Analysis #13 (Dunn and Sobolik, 1993). Six different sets of values for PTn listed in Table 3.1-1 were used and compared with the original calculations: Tpc-BT, bedded tuff; Pah Canyon member; Tpt-TM, moderately welded, highly fractured tuff; Tpc-TN, nonwelded ashflow tuff;…”

“…within each stratigraphic unit Sobolik and Fewell, 1993;Dunn and Sobolik, 1993). The calculations performed for these analyses have used material property values first established by Klavetter and Peters (Peters et al, 1984;Klavetter and Peters, 1986).…”